Very useful app, especially for kids holidays. I live in Bavaria, Germany and the holidays are different from other regions. I really like the app and hope you will continue to update it.
Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
51–60 of 177 posts
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#52The domain is banned on my work VPN, gave me a good laugh.
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#53Earlier quoted context omitted.
Also it would be great to be able to add "corporate" holidays, where the whole company is off because of X reason.
Thanks! Adding customisable fixed holiday days could be a nice idea :)
I think it could be as simple as clicking a date will cycle it from default, mandatory off, mandatory non-off (must be working).
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#54Found you a fun edge case in France: your tool doesn’t know how to faire le pont.
Holidays here often land on a Thursday. It’s generally agreed to not be worth the effort to get back into work mode for just one day, so everybody takes Friday off too. (Thus, “making the bridge)
This doesn’t count against your vacation time. Even schools take the days off. Holidays seem to be scheduled this way intentionally, and sometimes they’ll even have one on a Wednesday.
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#55Congrats ! However I feel the claim is lying to me and inconsistant:
« In […], there are 11 public holidays in 2024.
Let's stretch your time off from 25 days to 61 days »
61 actually adds up my time off (25) with adjacent week ends and public holidays (27). The 9 missing are week ends already next to public holliday but without any proposed time off extension. If you’re gonna count the WE next to PU it would be fair to include them in the initial count.
The inconsistency is that I didn’t count one Saturday next to a public Holliday in Sunday, while the +9 I’m referring above are Friday/Monday next to week ends.
I know this does not make your product less useful, but in a psychological perspective it toggle my defence mode instantly [0] in the same way an over promising advertisement as the opposite effect than expected.
0: discussion ongoing here https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42113449
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#56A guy I used to work with had a spreadsheet that accounted for how quickly he accumulated PTO (something like ~7.5 hours per 2 week pay period) and would not only forcast when to take vacations but how much PTO he could use and still earn enough before the next one.
I could see you incorporating something like that in your site.
Another idea, would be to consider the protected 'wellbeing or sick' days that some states like Illinois have.
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#57Would be a lot better if the calendar didn't start with Sunday.
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#58Ha, this reminds me of a very similar practice I used to engage in with a few buddies when we started work. It was always fun to try to figure out how to optimize the PTO to get the “most days per day”. Nowadays, I find that the best time to take PTO is when I feel like taking PTO. Taking a long weekend when I’m feeling burnt out or disengaged goes much further for me than grinding for the entire first half of th yea…
Agreed, in Switzerland this idea of "stretching" is common but I find it stupid. Weather going to be bad? Doesnt matter, I can stretch my total time off 3 days more!!! Total off season to where I am traveling to? Doesnt matter, I get that single extra "bridge" day! Man so cringe.
I don't know, seems much easier that if you dont want to work then don't!
I mean the tool OP posted recommended 2 weeks off at the end of March into April on the easter holiday (because of the friday and monday holiday)... who is honestly doing that?
This topic has always rubbed me the wrong way I think because its way too closely tied to the whole workaday / "work sucks" / ratrace / 9-5 mentality.
One other thing as I continue my rant, related, the whole "plan your holidays for the next year so we can figure out the resource planning, even if you move your holiday!" Ugh so depressing, I always am like "welp next year is planned already and its only November". Nothing spontaneous, nothing interesting.
Anyway, I realize also I am likely in the minority here, HN folks will do anything for a "hack".
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#59I typically try to take annual leave and to travel exactly on the opposite dates to what this tool recommends. That's because I care more about avoiding the significant extra expense, traffic, and crowds of travel over public holiday periods, than I do about getting a few extra "free days" of leave. No free lunch!
Good luck traveling on work days!
Surprised this passive agressive comment is not further downvoted. Doesn't add to the conversation.
Anyway, OP has a point. I hate traveling on the same day everyone else plans to due to some holiday gap / bridge / whatever.
Re: Show HN: Stretch My Time Off – An Algorithm to Optimize Your Vacation Days
#60It would be great to set limits on how much leave is scheduled at once or per quarter. My company says you should ask a manager if you book more than 25% of leave per quarter, so it would be good to know the max I can book without having to ask for permission.